Clutch mechanism.



. HUF?,

CLUTCH MEGHANISM.

APPLIUATIOH FILED APR. 1a, 1910.

Patented 9&0. 22, 19ML 2 SHEETSdSKHEET 2.

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GLURCH: EECHANS.

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Toriiiiwhom it may eonccmff.

nisms, Vandparticularly to clutch' mechanisms .which-.are arranged tohe usedin connectionjwith motor vehicles.

CIC

@ne of the objects of this invention is, to provide 'a clutch mechanism which may be easily assembled and disassembled.

Another A.object is to construct a clutch .mechanism which will be light in Weight and possess the required strength.

Another object is to provide a clutch mechanism which may be readily lubricated Further objects will appear from the detailed description.

The invention will he described in, connection with. the accornpanyingV drawings, in Whichj 1 l Figure l4 is an elevation partly-inl section of a hydrocarbon engine and' its '5y `Wheel, a propeller-shaft, and a clutch mechanism connecting the hydrocarbon engine to the propelier shaft; Fig. '2 is a longitudinal' section of' the clutch mechanisinz; 'and Figs, 3 and e are'detail views. Y

Referring to the drawings, 1G designates the motor which may( he of the hydrocarbon type, provided with a crank case l, and l2 designates the crank 'shaft'.- The cranks dip into an oil Well `formed in the cranlt` case, so

that the inotorlwill be lubricated by the.`v

splash system. A fly Wheel lf3 is mounted upon the crank shaft and has connected to it a clutch mechanism 14. The clutch shaft is supported in a bracket 1,5, which is bolted to a cross member i6 of' a motor vehicle, and a Qnniversal joint '17' is arranged to connect the clutch shaft with a propeller shaft 18. A cylindrical member 2O is bolted "to the web 2l of thctly Wheel and has riveted to its inside Walls a iseries Aof -longitudinally eX- tendine; keys r'he clutch shaft 23 is jonrnaled at one end in the bracket l by means yof suitable ball bearings, and at its other end in a roller bearing cage 2li which is mounted in the ily wheel which forms an extension of the crank shaft.

It. spider 26 cylindrical in forni, has integral with it a web 27, which is arranged to apeeieagaani Letters @etant- Anwen einem 1S, '19.1- seei ges.

ygage the series ci patented Dec. 22, Mild.-

be bolted to a flange integral with tinu clutch shaft, by means of a circle of bolts 28. This spider has riveted to it, a series of longitudinally extending keys 29 similar to the keys i2, and has formed integral' with it "a series of, lugs 30. An end ring vor plate 3l is arranged to he mounted upon the spider 26, and is provided with lugs BO which enlugs 30, as shown in Eig. 3. il clutch elements comprising steel plates are mounted upon the spider and provided with lltey Ways or lugs similar to the lugs 30 which engage the keys A. second series of clutch elements comprising plates 33, Fig. fl, are provided with key ways or lugs 33 engaging the leys 22 upon the cylindrical nreinberQO. These plates are faced with inate 'iai 3e like asbestos, the asbestos being riveted to the plates :is shown in, Fig. 2.

The end plate 35 has secured to it a cylindrical clamping inem-ber 36 which is providedl with an inwardly extending portion 3'?, having a screw threaded engagement with a sleeve 38 so as to permit adjustment. If' the proper adjustment has been made, the arts are firmly secured together by a snita le fastener The sleeve is provided with a reduced portion e0, 'which engagesthe clutch shaft and the annular porftion at the end of the sleeve, forros an ahntrnent for a spring 41. A second abutment 42 is mounted on the clutch shaft and has a threaded engagement therewith, so as to be adjustable longitudinally thereon, for the purpose ci adjusting the tension of the spring 41. The abutment 42 is arranged to 'be locked in position by a bolt e3.

Suitable means are provided for shifting the sleeve 38 longitudinally of the clutch shaft. For this purpose, a support i3 is adjnstably mounted on the sleeve and is arranged to be locked in adjusted position. A shifter ring llewis connectedtqthe support by means of an antifrctiqn bearing 4o, and is provided With trunnions 46, which are. engaged by forks 47 of a shifter ineinber 48, which is pivoted on the cross member 16. The shifter member 48 is arranged to he actuated by a suitable liever 49 Wlriiclrrnay be engaged by the operator-s `Foot.

The operation of the clutch so far cle-.r scribed, will be obvious. Normally the spring 4l throws the clutch elements into frictional engagement, so that the driving mii; will be clutchefl wi'n che clutch simili The scenic snail: is pw "erf-.tien lie engi-Jie. line @il v f c'finznefl up ami xine? lic 50. This #che clutch @mit and. will i :cell-ci. banging' cage 24:., and.

"" e cil nn alle keys 22, so

(le wmf-li nume-ous holes so lanci; seine al: thc oil elle inteiio of che tln'ongli holes 5:2 will inlus oil from 'Peil ilircugli Wheel web. preci-ically and is pio- "nearing be Veci Liongli the @lianiill being only tl'm :lic :Sliding parte of sseniijlecl by flic fi fioni the pmclutcli ljizicket clicconnecting the g ne clutch shaft mounted thereon can tlien be init frein the cylindvicnl inein-- l n axial movi-nient The cylin- 20, can also be easily disconlie illy wheel 'web loosening ln 3i-dci' "10 clizxssemble the cluch elenwntfs, l'ae following means are' pioviflecl: Two ci more lnenflcil screws l have e. tln'eaclecl engagement with the lin nge 25. and i .le bcuz* i t ilu?. cmi el the lille fi'cwe can be :ze c encre die 51;. 'vc axially of l cnmpiess spring i-l a 'Sic :ce

' elements 'lie eczews pass lcongly en@ :suIac/,as between the .keys and the 'l of the tension ofk lcrgecl'hoies 55 in the web 2l, which perm; the heads @o pass therethfougli. Azer che clutch clemence havev been relieved of the' `ensinn ci? lle' spring, the spieler 26 can be unbolted from the flange and femovcd with the clutch elements .frein the clutch shaft, thereby permiting the removal and replacement cf clutch elements.

. R is obvious that various changes may ce mede in the details of construction without ilepating from this invention, and it is9 llmei'emego be 'understco tlmtfihis inven cien is ncl: $0 be linte ce 'che specific con szueon shawn and describefl.

'Having described folie invention, wha is claimed The ccmbinexbion with a'metcr having i?. crank Shelli and a canli; case., of a. iiven snc-it? clinch ycenneciiiggg 'seid elicits, seid crank cinefil poeided with a, channel extenclng 'ioin Siiycranlz case to seid. clutch to lubricacehe leiter."

2. The combination with e 'motor having a cianli shaft and ai crank-case. ci a driven.' shaft, @clutch ccmiectinsg shcts, and u. casing 01' said chicks-aid shelf@ being Ipreviclecl with channel leading from sa id ciank tc saicl clutch casing pl f lubricant tc saicl clutch..

3. The combinacion with egnooi havingy a crank Snail an@ .ei/.crank cce', a driven shaft@ bearing be'lcen seid Simfe, incl c clutch connecting seid elicits, sei crank shafbeing prcvied wich a clisinnel ex tending from said smul; cage te said bearing se asm lubrica'e the sam The cnmbinuicn fwit e nlooi having a. ci'anl; shaft and e crank se, amia roller bearing on said, crank chef-ft, gf a diven slia joiirvnaled in said. beainganci a clutch cfgmnrecting" Said Shaftc, saicl cra'fnlz siiaf'being provided 'with a channel extending freniscid crankcase to said bearing to lubricate the Same.-

5. /The combination with' c. moco? having a crcfnl; Blie and a crank case, of a dfiven slm', a Bearing between saidsliafts, e' clnch connecting' said shafts, said crank shaft being .vrcv'leil with si channel extending from saiclg'cranlc case to said bearing. so as no lubiicate the seme, and Ineens permitting lie lnbiican from saifl'chnnnel tc lubricae the clutch.

6.' The combination with a mocor having a cianl shaft and a crank case', of a driven Sheila, a clutch connecting said sh'fts, a, casing for said clutch including a.,-1novablc crt, nfl nenne for Supplying lubiicant from said crank @aceto sind cluch casing, the lubiican being llxrown in engagement with 'the clutch parte by centrifugal force. l

7. The combination with A"otoi having a crank siiaf and a crank ci: a driven to sup-V system from said cranlr case to saidlreys for lubricating the latter.

9. The combination with a motor having a cranl: shaft and a crank case, ef a driven shaft, a clutch connecting said shafts, and a spring on said driven shaft for actuating said clutch, said shafts being provided With channels for supplyi aid spring with lubricant from said or 1U. ln a clutch, driving and driver .ze combination With hafts, of clutch disks connecting said i a sleeve on said driven shaft, an o plate mounted on said sleeve, and a spring on said driven shaft and surrounded by said sleeve.

11. ln a clutch, the combination with driving and driven shafts, of clutch disks connecting said shafts, a sleeve on said driven shaft, an end plate mounted on said sleeve, spring on said driven shaft, and an adjustable sleeve on said shaft telescoping with said first sleeve.

12.111 a clutch, the combination vwith driving and driven shafts, of clutch members on said shafts, aspring for throwing said members into engagement, means for throwing said clutch members out of engagement, means for compressing said spring and relieving the clutch members of the tension of said spring.

13. ln a clutch, the combination With driving and driven shafts, 'of clutch members on said shafts, a spring for throwing said members into engagement, means for throwing said clutch membersout of engagement, an abutment 'for said spring, and means engaging said abutment so as to relieve the clutch members of the tension of said spring.

14. ln a clutch, the combination with driving and driven shafts, of clutch memz bers on said shafts, a spring for throwing said members into engagement, means for throwing said clutch members out of engagement, and adjusting means on said driven shaft constructed to compress said spring and relieve theclutch members of the tension of the spring.

15. ln a clutch, the-` combinationwith driving and driven shafts, ofclutch members on said shafts including clutch disks, end members for said clutch disks, a spring for moving said end members together so as to engage the clutch, means for separating said end members so as to disengage the clutch, and means for relieving the clutch `members of the tension of said spring with out relieving thetension in the spring.

16. in a Clutch, the combination with driving and driven shafts, of clutch menbers on said shaft-s including clutch disks, end members for said clutch dislrs, a spring for moving said end members together so as to engage the cluth, means for separatingse id end members so as to disengage the clu 1, andadjusting means on said driven shaft for relieving the clutch members of the tension of said sprinfF Without relieving the tension in the spring.

1T. In a clutch, the combination with driving and driven shafts, of clutch members on said shaft-sy including clutch disks, end .members for said clutch disks, a spring for moving said end members together so to 'engage the clutch, means for separafng said end members so as to disengage the clutch, means for relieving the clutch members of the tension of said spring Without relieving the tension in the spring, and means whereby one of said end members may be removed.

18. 1n a clutch, the combination with a clutch shaft having a clutch spider remov-V ably secured thereto, of an end plate arranged on said spider and secured against forward endwise movement, a clutch casing surrounding the spider, clutch plates lreyed alternately to the spider and the casing, a

clamping member for pressing the plates into frictional engagement, a spring for' operating the clamping member, a `ever for compressing the spring to open the clutch, and means comprising a threaded'element for. compressing and holding the clutch spring whereby the spider may be disconnected from the clutch shaft for the purpose of removing the clutch plates.

19. |The combination with a. motor cranl; shaft and a clutch casing secured thereto, of a clutch shaft` arranged in line with the motor shaft and having a bearing in the end thereof, a clutch spider secured to the clutch. shaft, clutch plates arranged alternately on the clutch casing and spider, and arranged to ooperate frictionally, a clamping mem ber engaging the outside "spider plate, sleeve secured to said clamping member and surrounding the-clutch shaft'and having a shoulder at one end thereof, an adjustable abutment on said clutch shaft, a springarranged between said shoulder and said abutment and within said sleeve and adapted to close the clutch, and means for relieving the shafts, means detaehabiy securing; snif?. clutch tosaid driving sha, ami a. detachable support for said driven shaft, whereby seid clutch and driven shaft may be removed as a unit.

2l. The combinaion. with driving and dri-ven shafts, of a dutch connecting said shafbs, :i propeller shaft, a detachable conneetion beiiween said driven and'prepeiier ehafzs, seidclueh including cluth members seenreri re said. driving and driven shafts resine@'Civeijggl clutch elements between saiei members, said clutch elements having de" 'eenable connections with the eiuizch-inembei' on the driving shaft, and :i detachable support for said. driven shaft, whereby said driven sha'; an said eluteh elemens mey be removed as e, unit.

The combination with driving driven shefe, a durch connecting sairi sats7 e propeller shaft, a detachable Sorb lneeiun. between said driven and, propeller sharia, said dutch including a, cylindrical niemeer secured to said driving shaft, a spi'cier eecure. to Said driven. ShaftS and ciueii eiements on said Spider and einen? ubijy* cenneeter m said cyindrieai member,

and

e detaeliabie support ferseiii driven Siler@ whereby sfric driven shaft, spider, and

" may be removed a@ a unna,

23. combinati@ with driving and' driven ehasa of e eiiiteii eorineeing' sei( shafts., :i propeller shaft., e deraeabe een nectien between seid. cirivexi @n propeller shafts, ineens deeeiieejv seeming said clutch seid driving member, a. amenable supper for seiri @riveli Shafer whereby said clutch and muy @Je removed. as e imi?,9 Seidl eiiie ine'uding clutch eie ments and e 5er eiureiiing said eef men's, and. rer reiieving 'he tension of said spring said elements,

24.. The eorebineieri with e having a, crank simili, ef e, driven sim, and a aiuter eennec'irig; reli shas., seid Crank 'Minei adage permi; iisaesembiing ef 

